SYMPHONIC DANCES
introduction, we’ re not sure what the key really is; only the abrupt opening of the main Allegro con brio section confirms that it is C major. An aggressive but plain first theme is, like Beethoven’ s best symphonic themes, rich in developmental potential. Contrasting with it is a limpid, graceful second theme, launched by a duet of oboe and flute. Following the custom of the day, this exposition section is repeated before moving on to a taut, dramatic development. Here, Beethoven shows he is already skilled at breaking apart the elements of his first theme and coaxing marvelous new possibilities out of the fragments.
The Andante cantabile second movement, in the key of F major, actually sounds much more like an 18th-century courtly minuet than does the third movement, which seems mislabeled as a minuet. The second violins open with a mincing Haydnesque theme that grows into a little fugue as the other instruments enter. Gracious and gentle as this movement is, it does contain an unsettling rhythmic accompaniment, first heard in the timpani, that adds considerable excitement to the development section when it is passed to the strings.
Beethoven called his third movement a minuet, but it is really the first of the faster and tougher scherzo movements he developed to replace the older court dance. It is full of bold harmonic modulations and dueling cross-rhythms between instruments. The middle trio section features the woodwinds( they play an important role throughout this work) and, although initially gentler, crescendos at the end to match the vigor of the scherzo. This is the symphony’ s most forward-looking movement.
The last movement reverts to the exuberant, whirlwind style of a Haydn finale. It opens with a loud, portentous chord suggesting serious matters ahead. But its trick opening lets the cat out of the bag. Here, Beethoven proved that, despite his squabbles with Haydn, he had learned much from the old master.
Instrumentation: Two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani and strings.
VIOLIN CONCERTO IN D MAJOR
Erich Korngold
Born in Brno,( now Czech Republic), May 29, 1897; died in Hollywood, CA, November 29, 1957
Erich Korngold was one of the most gifted composing prodigies in musical history. The Snowman, the ballet he wrote when he was 11( he received some help in its scoring from his teacher Alexander von Zemlinsky), was produced at the Vienna Court Opera in 1910. By the time he reached 13, he was able to create his own scoring for his concert overture for large orchestra, Der Schauspiel Ouverture, which was taken up by nearly all the major conductors in Europe. None other than Gustav Mahler pronounced him a genius.
But it was in opera that Korngold particularly shone. At 17, he astonished Vienna with his lurid tale of lust and revenge Violanta, which won Puccini’ s praise. And in his early 20s, he wrote his masterpiece, the opera Die tote Stadt(“ The Dead City”), which is still in the repertoire.
However, Korngold’ s subsequent career did not lead to more triumphs in the concert hall and opera house. Instead, in 1934, it sent him to Hollywood where his superb orchestrating skills enhanced the Mendelssohn-based score for Max Reinhardt’ s legendary film of A Midsummer Night’ s Dream. Then, for the next decade, Korngold flourished as one of Hollywood’ s most sought-after score writers, specializing in romantic costume dramas( often starring Errol Flynn) such as Captain Blood and The Adventures of Robin Hood. He won two Oscars ® for his scores( Anthony Adverse in 1936 and The Adventures of Robin Hood in 1938). In fact, his popularity in Hollywood saved his life, for the Jewish Korngold was in California when his native Vienna fell to the Nazis in 1938.
Korngold, now forced to stay in America, paid dearly for his film successes. To his sorrow, the classical world spurned him for selling out to Hollywood. In 1946, he tried to rehabilitate his career with his sumptuously romantic Violin Concerto. Its 1948 premiere was played by Jascha Heifetz, performing with the St. Louis Symphony.
As a Heifetz vehicle, this concerto was designed to be a true virtuoso showpiece for the soloist, but, interestingly, it also used themes from several of Korngold’ s film scores. The yearning principal theme with which the violin opens the first movement comes from Another Dream( 1937). After some playfully quick transitional music, the violin turns to an even more soaring and bittersweet theme; this is from Juarez, a 1939 historical epic starring Bette Davis.
Korngold’ s Oscar ®-winning score for Anthony Adverse provides the lovely, rather sentimental theme for the slow movement,“ Romance.” Here, the violinist sings from the heart and shows off the sweetness of the instrument’ s upper register. The luscious orchestral writing conjures nocturnal mystery.
The breathless rondo-form finale calls for the kind of fiery, high-speed playing at which Heifetz excelled. When the violin finally finds time for a real singing theme, it is the title music from The Prince and the Pauper( 1937); this also later receives a grand treatment from the orchestra. But mostly this finale is about the soloist’ s ability to dazzle us with sheer technique and charisma.
Instrumentation: Two flutes including piccolo, two oboes including English horn, two clarinets, bass clarinet, two bassoons including contrabassoon, four horns two trumpets, trombone, timpani, percussion, harp, celesta and strings.
SYMPHONIC DANCES
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Born in Oneg, Russia, April 1, 1873; died in Beverly Hills, CA, March 28, 1943
By 1940, Sergei Rachmaninoff, then 67 and in failing health, believed his composing career was over. Since fleeing Russia during the Bolshevik Revolution in late 1917 for refuge in Western Europe and America, he had managed to create only five substantial works, including his popular Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
28 OVERTURE / BSOmusic. org